Electronic apparatus



C. D. EHRET.

ELECTRONIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.12,191s.

Patented JunF: 13, 1922.

\. I INVENTOR 6m narrate stares PATENT @FFWE.

ELECTNIC APPARATUS.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patmmed J mg 13, 1193922 Application ma November 12, 1918. Serial No. scams.

7 To all whom it concern Be it known that I, CO NELI S D. JEHRET,

a citizen of the-United States, residing in,

the city'and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Electron'ic'Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to thermionic or electromc devices which may be put to any suitable or desired use, as for example signaling, telegraphy or telephony, either in radio or wireless systems or in systems in which the energy is transmitted by conductors extending between transmitting and receiving stations.

My invention resides in an electronic or thermionic device comprising a body emitting electrons which bombard a cathode which reemits electrons to an anode, the cathode completely isolating the anode and the electron emitting body from each other, as by sealing evacuated chambers containing the anode and the body from each other.

' y invention resides in further features hereinafter described.

For an illustration of some among the many various forms my invention may take, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation. of my electronic device, partly in section, and a diagram of circuit arrangements in which it may be employed.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of my device and a diagram of other circuit arrangements in which it-may be employed.

Referring to Fig. 1, A is a vessel, tube or bulb of glass or any other suitable material divided by the cathode K into two chambers V and V both of which and particularly V, are preferably closed to the outer atmosphere." The cathode K may be of any suitable material, preferably refractory me-tal' asplatinum' on'tungsten, and in the example illustrated is in the form of a thin plate sealed throughout its eriphery at is, whereby it completely seals c ambers 'V and 'V from each other' and forms awall com- 7 The'c'hamb'ers V and V maybe evacuated to any suitable' or desirable equal or unequal I degrees,"a's' by exhausting at :o and v The chamber V is preferably exhausted substantially completely or to such degree that pure electrondischarge takes place-therein, par ticula-rly when the electron emitting body F 1s, as in the example illustrated, a filament of platinum, tungsten, carbon or any other suitable material, brought to suitably hlgh temperature or incandescence by current as from the source b, the variable resistance r serving to vary the primary electron emission, 7

It w1ll be understood, however, that in the chamber; V positive ions in any suit-able number may be present, as by having therein any suitable gas or gases, vapor or vapors, or mixtures of gas and vapor; and the filment F may be coated with any suitable oxide, as calcium, strontlum or barium oxide, or any su table mixture of two or more of such oxldes.

Similarly the chamber V may be exhausted to such high degree that substantially pure electron ischarge obtains from cathodejK to the plate or anode P. Or in chamber V posltiye ions may be utilized, as by having therein any suitable gas or gases, vapor or vapors, or mixtures of as and vapor; and the side of cathode K in chamber V may be coated with any suitable oxide, as calcium, barium or strontium oxide, or any suitable mixture of two or more of such oxides.

The cathode K is, in the example illustrated connected to the filament'F through a variable portion of the source of current or hard or impinge upon the cathode K which- 1n consequence becomes an electron emitting body. The number of electrons so reemitted may greatly exceed the number of electrons emitted by body F, and so permit or cause a large current between anode P and cathode K. That current'may be caused to vary in amplitude or fluctuate by varying the potential of electrode or rid G which may be connected to cathode through transformer secondary s and the potentiometer D which serves in known manner normally to hold grid G at any suitable potential. When a telephonic, oscillating or other Va ing or fluctuating current is passed throng transthat current in transformer primary p may induce an alternating or fluctuating current similarly varying in the secondary a.

llhe amplitude of the current in the circuit of anode 1?. may also be varied by varying the potential otthe electrode or grid G, which will vary the intensity of bombardment of cathode K by electrons emitted by body F, with consequent variation in the number of electrons reaching anode P from cathode K, provided cathode has 'suitably delicate proportions e. g., is sultably thin to respond quickly or with accuracy to variations in its bombardment by electrons from body F. The potential of grid G, connected throu h potentiometer Dand transformer secon any 8 to body F, may varied by passing through transformer primary p a fluctuating or varying current.

A fluctuating or alternating current of inandible high frequency from source a may be passed through primary p and cause variations of potential of grid G and so cause in secondary 8, connected to a radiating antenna or equivalent or to a wire circuit,

a far larger current, of inaudible high fre quency, whose amplitude may be varied in accordance with speech by passing through primary p a current from battery b modulated by microphone m; and cathode K for this purpose must be of such delicate proportions, e. g., so very thin, that it will reemit to anode P a stream of electrons varying in accordance with speech. a

n Fig. 2 the electronic or thermionic de-' 'vice is of the character described in connection with Fig. 1. lln this case the anode IE, cathode K and grid G are associated in an oscillating circuit comprising the transformer, primaries p and p in series with the variable condensers C and C between anode P and cathode K, the grid G being connected to cathode K through transformer secondary s and variable condenser U.

A variable source of current or battery 15 is connected through chokie coils or im-' pedances c and c to anode P and cathode K. The body 1F and cathode K are in circuit with a variablesource of current or battery B through the transformer primary p whose secondary s connects cathode through potentiometer D with grid 6.

Microphone m and source of current I) are in circuit with transformer primary p" whose secondary c connects body IF through potentiometer D with grid Gr.

With body ll emitting electrons which impinge upon cathode K the latter emits to anode 1P secondary electrons; and oscillations, for example of frequency above audibility, are produced in the oscillating cir-' cuitand impressed by transformer mcond- I amass? any 8 upon a radiating antenna, or minivalent, or upon a wire circuit.v The amplitude of the oscillations are varied in accordance with speech by microphone m which causes variation of potential of grid 6: and therea fore variation of current in transformer primary p in accordance with speech; and

in consequence the potential of grid G is varied in accordance with oh by the transformer secondary a", with resultant variation of amplitude of the high frequency oscillationsan accordance with speech. The arrangement may be considered as amplifying apparatus, the'efiects in circuit mbp being enlarged in circuit Kp B l and still further amplified in the oscillating circuit including anode P and cathode K. Additional amplification'mayalso he edected it cathode K is of sufiiciently delicate proportions, as extremely thin, to vary the electron emission therefrom due tovariation by grid G of the number of electrons from body F bombarding cathode K. i

What I claim is l. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid,-the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of said devices, the grid-cathode circuits of said devices being independent of each other, and a coupling between circuits of said devices.

2. 'llhermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid, the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of said devices, a transformer primary in the anode circuit of said one of said devices, and the transformer secondary in the grid circuit of said other of said devices.

3. 'llhermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid, the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of said devices, a coupling between circuits of said devices, and means for normally holding each of said grids independently of each other at a predetermined potential. a I

4. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid, sources of current for the anode circuits of said devices, the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of said devices, the source of current of the anode circuit of said one of said devices intervening between the grid circuits of said devices.

5. An electronic device comprising evacuated chambers, a'cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one ot said chambers emitting electrons bombard said eathode, an anode in another of 30 said cathode said chambers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, an electrode between said body and said cathode, and means for varying the potential of said electrode,

6. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid, the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of saiddevices, and means for normally holding each of said grids independently of the other at a predetermined potential.

An electronic device comprising evacuated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said cham ers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, an electrode between said cathode and said anode, means for varying the potential of saidelectrode, an electrode between said body and said cathode, and means for varying the potential of said last named electrode.

8. An electrionic device comprising evacuated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said chambers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, an electrode between said cathode and said anode, and means responsive to variations of current flowing between said cathode and said body for varying the potential of said electrode.

9. An electronic device comprising evacuated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said chambers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, and means for varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode in accordance with sound waves, said cathode being so proportioned that it reemits to said anode an electron stream varying in accordance with said sound waves.

10. An electronic device comprising evacuated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said chambers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, means for varying the electron stream between said body and in accordance with sound waves, said cathode being so proportioned that it reemits to said anode an. electron stream varying in accordance with said sound waves, an electrode between said anode and said cathode, and means for varying the potential of said electrode in accordance with said sound waves,

wall between said chambers, a' body'in one 11. .An electronic device comprising evacuated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said chambers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, means for varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode in accordance with sound waves, said cathode being so proportioned that it reemits to said anode an electron stream varying in accordance with said sound waves, .an electrode between said anode and said cathode, and means responsive to variations in the electron stream between said body. and said cathode for varying the potential of said electrode.

12. An electronic device comprising evacuated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said chambers in the'stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, meansfor varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode in accordance with sound waves, an electrode between said anode and said cathode, and means for varying the potential of said electrode in accordance with said sound waves.

13. An electronic device comprising evacuated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said chambers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, means for varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode in accordance with sound waves, anelectrode between said anode and said cathode, and means for varying the potential of said electrode in response to variations in said electron stream between said body and said cathode.

14. An electronic device comprising evacu- 1 o ated chambers, a cathode forming a sealing wall between said chambers, a body in one of said chambers emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, an anode in another of said chambers in the stream of electrons reemitted by said cathode, an electrode between said anode and said cathode, an oscillating circuit associated. with said anode, said cathode and said electrode, means for varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode, and means for varying the potential of said electrode in accordance with variations of said electron stream between said body and said cathode.

15. The combination with an anode and a cathode, of a body emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, means for varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode in accordance with sound waves, said cathode being so proportioned that it 30 reemits to said anode an electron stream varying in accordance with said sound waves. a grid between said anode and said cathode and independent of said means, and means responsive to variations in the electron stream between said body and said cathode for varying the potential of said grid.

16. The combination with an anode and a cathode, of a body emitting electrons bombarding said cathode. means for varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode, a grid between said anode and said cathode and independent of said means, and means for varying the potential of said grid in response to variations in said electron stream between said body and said cathode.

IT. The combination with an anode and a cathode, of a body emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, means for varying the electron stream between said body and said cathode. an electrode between said anode and said cathode, an oscillation-producing circuit associated with said anode, said cathode and said electrode, and means for varying the potential of said electrode in accordance with variations of said electron. stream between said body and said cathode.

18. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid. the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of said devices. and means for normally holding each of said grids independently of the other at a predetermined negative potential.

19. An electronic device comprising a chamber, a cathode and an anode therein, a separate chamber evacuated to a degree suitable for substantially pure electron discharge, said cathode forming a wall common to said chambers, and a body in said separate chamber emitting electrons loombarding said cathode, said first named chamber evacuated to lesser degree than said separate chamber and containlng ionizable material.

20. The combination with an anode and a cathode. of a body emitting electrons bombarding said cathode, a grid controlling the electron stream between said body and said cathode. means for varying the potential of said grid for varying said electron stream and thereby the electron stream between said cathode and said anode, a grid independent of said first named grid controlling the electron stream between said cathode and said anode, and means for varying the potential of said second named grid in response to changes of potential of said first named grid.

21. The combination with an anode and a cathode, of a body emitting electrons bommister the cathode of another of said,devi'ces, the

grids being independent of each otherfliieans for varying the potential of the grid of said one of said devices, and means responsive to changes in the anode current of said one of said devices varying the potential of the grid of said other of said devices.

23. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, the anodeof one of said devices constitutin the cathode of another ofsaid devices and constituting a sealing wall between said de vices, and means simultaneously controlling the variation of the different potentials of said grids.

24. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, the anode of one of said devices constituting the cathode of another of said devices, means for varying the potential of the grid of said one of said devices, and an inductive coupling between the grid circuit of said other of said devices and the anode circuit of said one of said devices.

Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, the anode of one of said devices constituting the cathode of another of said devices and constituting a sealing wall between said devices, means for varying the potential of the grid of said one of said devices, and means responsive to changes in the anode current of said one of said devices varying the potential of the grid of said other of said devices. i

26. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, the anode of one of said devices constituting the cathode of another of said devices, means simultaneously controlling the variation of the potentials of said grids, and an oscillation producing circuit including the anode and cathode of said other of said devices.

27. Thermionic apparatus comprising cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, the anode of one of said devices constituting the cathode of another of said devices, means for varying the potential of the grid of said one of said devices, and means independently impressing upon the grid of said other of said devices a fluctuating or alternating potential.

28. Thermionic apparatus comprising thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, the anode of one of said devices constituting the cathode of another of said devices, telephonic means varying the potential of the grid of said one ofsaid devices, the grids of said devices being independent of each other, and means responsive to current variations in the anode circuit of said one of said devices varying the potential of the grid of said other of said devices.

29. Thermionic apparatus comprising thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, the anode of one of said devices constituting the cathode of another of said devices, telephonic means varying the potential in the grid of said one of said fi l devices, said grids being independent of each other, and a coupling between the grid circuit of said other of said devices and the anode circuit of said one of said devices.

31. Thermionic apparatus comprising thermionic devices each comprising an anode, cathode and grid, an anode of one of said devices constituting the cathode of another of said devices, telephonic means varying the potential of the grid of said one of said devices, a coupling between the grid circuit of said other of said devices and the anode circuitof said one of said devices, and an oscillation producing circuit including the anode and cathode of another of said devices.

32. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid, the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of said devices, and a transformer coupling the grid circuit of one of said devices to the anode circuit of another of said devices.

33. Thermionic apparatus comprising a plurality of cooperating thermionic devices each comprising an anode, a cathode and a grid, the anode of one of said devices being the cathode of another of said devices, and means for normally holding one of said grids independently of the other at a predetermined negative potential.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature this 11th day of November, 1918.

CORNELIUS D. EHRET. 

